Cotton-press



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

T. E. WOLFE.

COTTON PRESS.

No. 425,481. Patented Apr. 15,1890.

. Inventor;

2 SheetsSl1eet 2.

T. E. WOLFE.

COTTON PRESS. Patented Apr. 15,1890.

('No' Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS EDlVARD XVOLFE, OF HAMPTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

COTTON-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,481, dated April15, 1890.

Application filed June 15, 1889' Serial 110,314,489. (N0 model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS EDWARD \VOLFE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Hampton, in the county of Hampton and State of SouthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGotton-Presses; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make an d use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in cotton-pressesof the continuous rotary kind, wherein two or more pressboxes are causedto rotate horizontally and intermittingly, so that during the filling ofa box directly from a cotton-gin or other source the pressing of the.cotton in a box previously filled is simultaneously eifected.

My object is to provide a substantial sta tionary supporting-block uponthe base of the press, and to arrange such block in such a vpositionthat during the operation of pressing the pressure will be taken off therollers and transferred to said block.

My improvements will be fully understood from the following descriptionand claims, taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the im proved machine, wherein twopress-boxes are employed in a horizontal rotative frame, also showing indetail part of the discharge-spout of a cotton-gin arranged to deliverthe ginned or cleaned cotton directly into the press-boxes. Fig. 2 is avertical central section through the press, taken in the plane indicatedby dotted lines a; x 011 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section throughthe machine, taken in the plane in dicated by dotted lines y 1 on Fig.1, Fi i is an inner view in detail of one of the press frame standards,showing the notches and re-= cesses therein.

Referring to the annexed drawings by letter, A designates the stationaryframe, which in the present instance is composed of a baseplatform A tworigid uprights rising there from, and A a horizontal beam rigidly bracedto said uprights. Vithin this frame is ap plied a horizontal rotativeframe B, composed of horizontal sill-beams B, vertical standards Brigidly secured thereto, cross-braces B", secured to these standards, atop circular platform 0, and a floor C, which latter is secured upon thesill-beams B, while the platform C is secured upon the upper ends of thestandards 13*. This horizontally rotative frame B is centrally supportedupon a step a, and guided above by a central shaft D, into the upper endof which is a center pivotscrew b, that is tapped through a bracket B,secured to the horizontal beam A By these means the frame 13 can berotated horizontally about its vertical axis.

\Vithin the frame B, I secure two vertical press-boxes E E, arrangeddiametrically opposite each other and equidistant from the vertical axisof the frame. The upper ends of the receiving stationary portions of thepress-boxes are made flaring, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3,

The lower portions of the press-boxes into which the cotton is condensedinto bales are respectively composed of a base a and four removablesides 0, the lower ends of which latter are fitted into grooves (Z, andthe upper ends are bevel matched at e to the correspondingly lowerbeveled ends of the stationary sides of the press-box, as clearly shownin Figs. 2 and 3 of the annexed drawings. The upper beveled ends of theremovable pressbox sides 0' are held securely in their places during thepressing operation by means of longitudinal bars 6 e and transverse bars6 forming locking-joints at the crossed ends, as shown in Fig. 1..

The standards of the press-box frame are recessed at f and grooved at f,as shown in Figs. 1 and at, to allow of the rear introduction andremoval of the said bars 6/ 6' c These locking-bars serve as braces toresist strain on the upper parts of the sides 0 during the act ofpressing cotton, and by removing the braces the pressed bale can befreed and taken from the press-box frame after be ing baled.

G designates a follower or packer, and G its vertical shaft, whichlatter is guided by passing through the horizontal beam of the mainframe A. Hydrostatic or other convenient power may be employed. forgiving the vertical movements to said follower and its shaft.

During the operation of filling one pressbox with cotton flowingdirectly from a cleaner or other source the cotton in the oppositepress-box is being compressed and condensed, the bale removed, and thesides 0' of the box returned to their places and looked, as abovedescribed.

Upon the floor of the frame A, I secure a raised support Q, upon whichthe sill-beam of the press-box in which the cotton is being pressedrests during the pressing operation. At each end of the sill-beam frameI employ a roller 7L, the object of which is to allow the press-boxframe to be easily turned about its vertical axis, and at one end of thesaid sillbeam frame I employ a pivoted gravitating latch H, guided by astaple c, and provided with a latching-nose j, which will of itselfengage in the recess of a block J, secured upon the floor of the mainframe A. At 7a a recess is made in the said floor, the object of whichis to prevent pressure upon a roller 7L, which is directly beneath thepress-box in which the cotton is being condensed. It will be thusobserved that the operation of filling one press-box takes place duringthe operation of condensing the material and removing the bales from theother press box; also, that during the operation of pressing andcondensing the cotton the press-box frame is rigidly locked and alsosupported solidly upon the block Q, the roller h adjacent thereto beingrelieved of the pressure by reason of its lying directly over the recess71; in the floor of the main frame A.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a horizontally-revolving duplex cottonpressframe, of rollersupports or base therefor having a recess 7: and a rigidsupport Q in alignment therewith, whereby when the downward pressure ofa follower upon the material in a box is caused the pressure will beresisted by the frame resting on said support, as specified.

2. The combination, in a rotative balingpress, of caster-wheel supports,a locking device, and a flooring provided with a recess 70 and a solidsupport Q on the flooring, as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

his THOMAS EDWARD WOLFE.

mark

Witnesses:

W. S. 'lnmrnormsr, S. F. RAY.

